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Shinto: Origins, Rituals, Festivals, Spirits, Sacred Places
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Average Rating:  out of 7 Reviews
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Price: $19.95
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Sale: $70.60
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Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
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EAN (European Article Number): 9780195218862
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Number of Items: 1
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Binding: Hardcover
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Author: C. Scott Littleton
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Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
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Dewey Decimal Number: 299.561
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Publication Date: 2002-05-02
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Reading Level: 112
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Description: In Japan, two religions predominate--Buddhism and Shintoism--and the Japanese people see no contradiction in practicing both: worshipping Buddha even as they revere the kami, the divine beings that populate the country and define the indigenous faith of Shintoism.
In Shintoism and the Religions of Japan, C. Scott Littleton illuminates this unusual spiritual pluralism and shows how it has fertilized a vast and varied religious landscape. Littleton describes the origins and development of Shinto (or Kami no Michi, "Way of the Gods"), the introduction of Buddhism a millennium and a half ago, the rise of various sects of Buddhism (some indigenous to Japan), and the role of the imperial court and the shogunate in the nation's religious life. Here too is a clear and succinct summary of Shintoism's teeming pantheon of spiritual figures, the holy writings of Shintoism, and the islands' landscape of holy sanctuaries. Littleton explains how Buddhism has been reinterpreted in light of Japan's indigenous traditions (some monumental statues of the Buddha are worshipped as manifestations of kami), and describes the "new religions" that flourished during the Meiji period of the late nineteenth century, after Japan once again opened up to the outside world. Writing with grace and clarity, he captures the essential features of Japanese religious life, including the countless local festivals and rituals, the importance of harmony and enlightenment, and concepts of death and salvation.
Lavishly illustrated with some thirty color photographs, sprinkled with boxed features that focus on fascinating issues, this volume offers a marvelous tour of Japan's distinctive spiritual experience.
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Customer Reviews
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Review Summary: Shinto for the uninitiated only... |
Date: 2008-08-03 |
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Details: Those who have little to no background in Japanese religion, culture and history can gain a decent foundation with this short book. Others who have such background, even a cursory one, should look elsewhere for more detailed information. "Shinto: Origins, Rituals, Festivals, Spirits, Sacred Places" represents a good zero level launching pad for the study of Shinto. But it's a bad place to stop for those seeking deeper understanding.
The book, divided into 9 short chapters, tends to repeat itself throughout. This will either facilitate learning or increase monotony, depending on one's disposition. Nonetheless, the text reveals a high-level history of Shinto from prehistoric Jomon culture deity worship, the emergence of Shinto elements in Yayoi culture (300 BCE - 300 CE), Motoori Norinaga's 18th century scholarly revival, the Tokugawa Shogunate (1603 - 1867), the Meiji Restoration of 1868, to modern day Shinkyo Shukyo or "new religions." Shinto was and is a dynamic religion of multifarious forms. It even absorbed Buddhism's 538 CE arrival in Japan. So much so that some people think Japan is a Buddhist country (Ibaraki province does contain one of the largest statues of Buddha in the world). But the Buddhist pagodas and Shinto Torii gates peacefully co-exist. Some Buddhist deities even get worshiped along with Kami, or Shinto deities.
Chapter three gives brief summaries of two Shinto sacred texts, the "Kojiki" and the "Nihonshoki." These present the story of Japan's creation by Izanagi and Izanami (via spear dipping), the birth of Shinto's primary deity, Amaterasu (the Sun Goddess), which led to the birth of Japan's first emperor, Jimmu Tenno. The Meiji Restoration used these stories to establish "State Shinto" which lasted until the end of World War II (and some claim was used to justify Japanese superiority and imperialism).
The book also discusses Shinto ethics, many of which are reflected in everyday Japanese culture: the subordination of the individual to the good of the group, personal and ritual purity, reverence for nature, and regeneration. Shinto presents a more "this worldly" viewpoint than the Abrahamic religions. Thirty three years following death, individual souls ("tama") join a family's ancestral souls and become more of an abstract grouping. But these souls exist to assist the living more than to nurture an afterlife.
Other topics touched on include: Shinto's lack of a founder, Shinto's most sacred places (the shrines of Ise and Izumo), ghosts ("obake"), Shinto festivals ("matsuri"), the status of women in Shinto, the controversial Yasukuni shrine, why some Shinto shrines get torn down and rebuilt every twenty years, household shrines ("kamidana"), and Shinto temple rituals. Numerous photos provide appropriate eye candy along the way.
Any understanding of Japanese culture, no matter how basic, must include familiarity with Shinto. It pervades everything. Though this book only provides a limited (bordering on superficial) knowledge of Shinto, it at least presents a groundwork for further study. Look to thicker and more detailed books to fill in the nuances and gaps. |
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Review Summary: Not to Be Taken Too Literally |
Date: 2008-03-04 |
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Details: Shinto is a religion that is never the same way depending on who one asks. One could get thousands of responses, all different, from Shintoists all over. This book may seem like the foundation for Shinto, but Shinto is a religion that really was never founded in the first place, and it cannot be condenced into such a small book. To accurately put Shinto to words would take many volumes of literature. |
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Review Summary: good intro to the basics |
Date: 2004-08-31 |
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Details: This tiny book (100 pages in length and of small dimensions) explores the basics of the origins, rituals, festivals, spirits, sacred places, conception of sacred time, sacred texts and the afterlife as pertains to Shinto.
Also interesting is the author's discussion of how Shinto fits into the greater framework of Japanese society and how it is often practiced right alongside Buddhism with no feeling of contradiction. He says many Japanese often have Shinto weddings but Buddhist funerals.
The book has some beautiful photographs as well as some plates of works of art. This is the simplest of introductions, nothing in depth, no deep theology. I was suprised how much of it I already knew (and I've never read anything on Shinto.) I guess I just picked it up from talking to people and from literature. It did provide a lot of info I didn't know though and its piqued my interest enough to want to read more about Japan's indigenous religion. |
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Review Summary: A pretty LITTLE book |
Date: 2004-07-26 |
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Details: This is a pretty little book which might be suitable if you know nothing whatsoever about shinto, and wish to learn a little about Japan's indigenous religion. It is attractive, quickly read, and not too desert-religion biased.
I you already know anything at all about shinto, or if you are interested in the faith and wish to get a good and full introduction to it, this is definitely not the book for you. It is much too superficial in its scope for that, and its outlook is much too westernized.
Casual tourist? By all means. Nipponophile? Stay away!
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Review Summary: Shinto - The Way of the Gods, condenced for your convenience |
Date: 2003-11-02 |
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Details: C. Scott Littleton's "Shinto: Origins, Ritual, Festivals, Spirits and Sacred Places" is a surprisingly good guide to Japan's native religion, considering its small size and ease of reading. This thin book takes a respectful look at Shinto's origin, main tenants, major characters, sacred texts and theology. The information is quite scholarly, as befits an Oxford Press publication. It is a very brief overview, and should be considered as an introductory book for anyone who wants to quickly understand Shinto without dedicating considerable time. Only the very main aspects are introduced, and many controversial elements, such as the inclusion of Tenri-kyo amongst the Shinto sects, are never touched on. Other things such as the nature of kami and their role in Japanese society over time, are not developed well, and could lead to some misunderstandings regarding the kami. However, this is to be expected in such a small book. There are several lovely pictures, but all in all this book is more text than photo-guide, as it should be. It is impressive to see Shinto so well-condensed, allowing for a general understanding of the religion in such a short time. |
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